1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit (liquid crystal driver IC) that drives a display apparatus such a liquid crystal panel, and more particularly to a semiconductor integrated circuit in which a random access memory (RAM) that stores display data.
2. Conventional Art
Liquid crystal panels are widely used in display sections of small equipment such as watches and hand-carry telephones. Further, in recent years, while the amount of data to be displayed is increasing, smaller screens, screens with an improved view ability and more beautiful images are sought. To display an image more beautifully and clearly on a screen of a display apparatus such as liquid crystal panel or the like, the size of each pixel (dot) may be made smaller, and the number of pixels per unit area may be increased. To do this, the space between scanning electrodes of the liquid crystal panel and the space between signal electrodes also need to be narrowed.
FIG. 7 shows a circuit substrate 43 that mounts a conventional liquid crystal driver IC 41 and a conventional liquid crystal panel 42. In FIG. 7, a plurality of terminals for outputting scanning signals C0-C7 from the liquid crystal driver IC 41 are connected to a plurality of scanning electrodes of the liquid crystal panel 42 through wiring patterns formed in a U-shape on the circuit substrate 43. Also, a plurality of terminals for outputting display signals S0-S15 from the liquid crystal driver IC 41 are connected to a plurality of signal electrodes of the liquid crystal panel 42 through wiring patterns formed in a linear-shape on the circuit substrate 43.
In such a liquid crystal panel, if the space between scanning electrodes and the space between signal electrodes of the liquid crystal panel are narrowed to increase the number of pixels per unit area, the pitch of the electrodes on the side of the circuit substrate also needs to be narrowed.
However, because many signal electrodes are provided on the liquid crystal panel, the wiring pitch of the wiring patterns to be connected to the signal electrodes reaches its limit in an attempt to narrow the pitch of the signal electrodes, and therefore it is difficult to achieve a higher degree of pattern density. Also, if the wiring pitch of the wiring patterns is excessively narrowed on the circuit substrate, there occurs a problem in which the mounting accuracy with respect to the substrate is lowered.
In view of the problems described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor integrated circuit (liquid crystal driver IC) that can be connected to a display apparatus such as a conventional liquid crystal panel, and also a display apparatus having an increased number of pixels per unit area, without excessively narrowing the wiring pitch on a circuit substrate.
It is noted that a circuit substrate in the present application means, but is not limited to, a printed substrate, a flexible substrate, a transparent dielectric substrate or the like that can be connected to a liquid crystal panel and can mount a liquid crystal driver IC thereon, and has electrical wirings.
To solve the problems described above, a semiconductor integrated circuit in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention pertains to a semiconductor integrated circuit that drives a display apparatus, the semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: a storage device that receives an input of data representative of an image to be displayed on the display apparatus and stores the data in a manner corresponding to a plurality of signal electrodes of the display apparatus, and outputs the stored data from a plurality of output terminals; a signal generation device that generates a plurality of signals to be supplied to the plurality of signal electrodes of the display apparatus based on data input through a plurality of input terminals, and outputs the same from a plurality of output terminals; and a selection device that selects data input from the plurality of output terminals of the storage device according to a selection signal that is externally input, and supplies the same to the plurality of input terminals of the signal generation device.
Also, a semiconductor integrated circuit in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention pertains to a semiconductor integrated circuit for driving a display apparatus, the semiconductor integrated circuit comprising: a storage device that receives an input of data representative of an image to be displayed on the display apparatus and an address signal, stores the data in regions designated by the address signal, and outputs the stored data from a plurality of output terminals; a selection device that selects a plurality of addresses that are externally input according to a selection signal that is externally input, and supplies the same to the storage device; and a signal generation device that generates a plurality of signals to be supplied to the plurality of signal electrodes of the display apparatus based on data input through a plurality of input terminals from the plurality of output terminals of the storage device, and outputs the same from a plurality of output terminals.